CONTROVERSIAL plans have been revealed for a 3,000-home village on the edge of Thornbury.

The ‘garden village’ would massively increase the population of the area, which currently stands at around 12,000 for Thornbury, sparking opposition from residents and councillors.

It is planned for a 191-hectare site in Buckover, which straddles the A38 between Thornbury, Falfield and Tytherington and is owned by the Tortworth Estate.

A concept document suggests the new village would come complete with its own health and education centres, retail areas and communication and transport infrastructure.

Rob Garnham, of Mediation in Planning, which represents the Tortworth Estate, said: “While it is only an idea at present, it is an idea we feel is worth pursuing.

“The concept of the garden village is its green space – to preserve as much as possible.

The landscape at Buckover will be taken into consideration when planning.”

The concept document can be found on the West of England Joint Spatial Plan website, and Mr Garnham said that now the proposal was in the public domain, talks would begin with the local community.

“This concept offers the residents and councils from adjoining parishes the chance to take part in the planning process from stage one,” he said.

“If this concept were to go ahead, we would want the concerns of the potential neighbours to be raised before anyone became entrenched in a position they were not comfortable with.

“We will be talking to the councils in Falfield and Thornbury very shortly, and will be running a full consultation process – we want to know what people have to say.”

Robert Moreton, of the Tortworth Estate, said the plans aimed to secure the ‘future sustainability’ of the estate.

“In conjunction with our farming, mineral and leisure interests, we wish to ensure the future sustainability of the estate by creating a new community that has the added benefit of meeting local housing needs using the ‘garden village’ approach,” he added.

But the scheme has been slammed by councillors in Thornbury, who are not pleased that they have been left in the dark about the plans.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Thornbury Town Council town development committee, chairman Cllr Maggie Tyrrell said: “Given we have not heard anything about this until now, it has clearly not been a process driven by local councillors or discussed countywide, it has been completely developer driven.”

She added: “The fact it has been going on behind closed doors without a whisper leaking out is very disturbing.”

A spokesman for South Gloucestershire Council said: “Two meetings have been held with representatives of the Tortworth Estate during April and May.

“These were introductory meetings that allowed Tortworth Estate to explain their garden village concept to planning and transport officers.

“The Tortworth Estate team has also agreed to arrange briefings with local ward members and parish and town councils.”